To mark Dementia Awareness Week, which runs from Sunday, May 17, to Saturday, May 23, the charity is encouraging people to ‘do something new’ - from dining at a new restaurant to more extreme activities such as abseiling down a bridge.

Throughout the week, people from Mid Ulster will be able to take advantage of a series of awareness raising initiatives where there will be an opportunity to hear from staff and volunteers about the services being offered by Alzheimer’s Society locally and for advice about the condition.

This includes information stands in seven pharmacies across the Mid Ulster area throughout the week as well as an information stand in Meadow Lane Shopping Centre on Saturday May 23.

Dementia Support Worker for the Mid Ulster area, Mona McGlade, said: “I would strongly encourage people to come along to the information stands and learn more about living with dementia and discover the range of excellent services and support Alzheimer’s Society provides to support a person with dementia and their carers’.

Mona McGlade from the Alzheimer's Society in Mid Ulster

Alzheimer’s Society Services Manager for the Northern Locality, Adrian Friel, said: “We strongly believe that life doesn’t end when dementia begins and we do everything we can to help those living with dementia hold on to their lives and the things they love for longer.

“That is why we are encouraging people to ‘do something new’ during Dementia Awareness Week.

By doing something new, we want to get people thinking about how it’s not only possible for someone with dementia to hold onto their life and the things they love for longer, they can continue to try new things and have new experiences, too.

‘As the population ages, we all face the risk of one day developing dementia but with the right support people with the condition can continue to do the things to love and lots, lots more.’

Learn more about living with dementia and discover the range of excellent services and support Alzheimer’s Society provides

There are 19,765 people who are currently living with dementia in Northern Ireland and that figure is set to rise as the population ages.